IS IT APPROPRIATE TO EVANGELIZE AT A FUNERAL WAKE?
Yes, wakes are great opportunities to talk about Jesus and His love for lost sinners.
Yesterday, I was asked to preach at a funeral wake. Don Marcial, the deceased, was 72 years old. He had only recently received Christ. His son in law was soundly converted; a few of his relatives have been attending church services; the rest were unsure and hesitant but open to the claims of Christ.
And so I took the opportunity to evangelize. These days I don’t get overly hung up about presenting gospel truths in a formula; I simply proclaim Christ. There is something so liberating and powerful when Jesus is mentioned in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the message.
Christ breathes life into dead souls. Just mentioning His name and the titles which accompany his person and works is powerful stuff; drawing out the significance of His exclusive claims and uniqueness from the gospels is life giving.
Many responded positively to Him at the wake.
Yes, wakes are great opportunities to talk about Jesus and His love for lost sinners.
Yesterday, I was asked to preach at a funeral wake. Don Marcial, the deceased, was 72 years old. He had only recently received Christ. His son in law was soundly converted; a few of his relatives have been attending church services; the rest were unsure and hesitant but open to the claims of Christ.
And so I took the opportunity to evangelize. These days I don’t get overly hung up about presenting gospel truths in a formula; I simply proclaim Christ. There is something so liberating and powerful when Jesus is mentioned in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the message.
Christ breathes life into dead souls. Just mentioning His name and the titles which accompany his person and works is powerful stuff; drawing out the significance of His exclusive claims and uniqueness from the gospels is life giving.
Many responded positively to Him at the wake.
5 comments:
Are you really an Anglican archdeacon or as I deeply suspect, a Pentecostal in Anglican garb?
Ah yes..now that's the question isn't it. To be or not to be...
I think there are few opportunities better for preaching the gospel then at a funeral. When the reality of death becomes personal, people are more receptive to the gospel message of repentance and grace.
Hmmnn..I also believe that the tone of the evangelistic message needs to be sensitive to the grief of the people. Triumphalistic and over the top preaching is not appropiate at a wake.
The body peeped up at the viewers, its former friends, through the cracks in its eyelids. You can follow me, it thought, Jesus will show you how.
Marty gazed over the body that once was his friend. What a sham, thought Marty, that this body is meant to represent a living being.
Post a Comment